The Sunshine Coast is set to gain its first dedicated padel facility, introducing a fast-growing international sport to the region.
A $4 million sports and wellness club, known as Padelground, will open at 84 Sandalwood Lane in Forest Glen later this year, marking the first time the sport will have a permanent home on the Coast.
The project is being led by gym franchise founders Brendon and Cristy Levenson, the duo behind Jetts, and will combine indoor courts with fitness, recovery and hospitality offerings in what is being described as the first padel and wellness club of its kind in Australia.
The 3200sqm complex will feature seven indoor courts – including one of the country’s first singles padel courts – alongside a group training space, sauna and cold plunge, and a cafe and bar serving coffee, smoothies and local craft beer.
Mr Levenson said the concept aimed to create a social environment around sport and fitness.
“Padel is impossible to play without a smile on your face,” he said.
“It’s fast, fun, social and you can just pick up and play within minutes.
“The banter, the laughs, the ability to meet likeminded people – that’s what’s making it so popular everywhere it lands.”
While widely played overseas – particularly in Spain, where it rivals tennis in popularity – padel remains largely unknown in Australia, with no existing courts currently on the Sunshine Coast.
The sport is best described as a hybrid of tennis and squash. It is played on a smaller enclosed court surrounded by glass and mesh walls, which remain in play during rallies. Players use a solid racquet and a slightly softer ball, with all serves delivered underarm. Matches are typically played in doubles, contributing to its social appeal.
Though often compared to pickleball, padel differs in several key ways. Pickleball is generally played on an open court with a hard paddle and plastic ball, while padel incorporates surrounding walls into gameplay, allowing for longer rallies and a more dynamic style of play.
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The Levensons, who founded Jetts on the Gold Coast in 2007 before expanding it to more than 280 locations across five countries, said the new venture marked their next phase, with plans to again base operations locally as the concept grows.
Mr Levenson said the club would cater to a wide range of players, with coaching programs, clinics and competitions planned, and international coaches being recruited.
“There is a big push for padel to become an Olympic sport,” he said.
“At Padelground, you can be as social or as serious as you like.”
The facility is expected to employ between 10 and 15 staff, and could contribute to emerging “padel tourism” as the sport expands in Australia.
Padelground is scheduled to open mid-2026, with further expansion plans under consideration.
For more information, visit Padelground.
